Stewart, Truex Jr. Clinch WIX Filters Lap Leader Awards

Battle for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Lap Leader Honors Intensifies

 

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 28, 2005) - With several races remaining in the 2005
season, drivers Tony Stewart and Martin Truex Jr. have clinched the WIX
Filters Lap Leader Awards for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and Busch
Series, respectively.

Stewart claimed the 2005 WIX Filters Lap Leader title on the strength of
11 WIX Filters Lap Leader Awards, five wins and three pole positions in
32 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starts. With four races remaining in the
season, Stewart also leads the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup by 15 points
over Jimmie Johnson.

 Truex Jr. - who earned the inaugural WIX Filters Lap Leader Award in
2004 en route to the Busch Series championship - secured the 2005 WIX
Filters Lap Leader title with six races remaining in the season on the
strength of 11 WIX Filters Lap Leader Awards, six wins and one pole and
in 29 Busch Series starts. With three events remaining, Truex Jr. is
locked in a four-way fight for his second series title, just 100 points
ahead of second-place driver Clint Bowyer. 

Like Stewart and Truex Jr. in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series,
respectively, winners of individual WIX Filters Lap Leader Awards are
strong championship contenders in the Craftsman Truck Series, and the
battle for overall WIX Filters Lap Leader honors is intense. With four
events remaining, Mike Skinner - one of 16 drivers in the hunt for the
Craftsman Truck Series championship - leads Todd Bodine, Dennis Setzer,
David Reutimann and six other drivers still in contention for WIX
Filters Lap Leader honors with five Lap Leader Awards, two wins and five
poles in 21 starts. 

Thousands of race fans also have had a chance to earn valuable prizes in
the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award Contest. Fans who visit
www.wixlapleader.com each week to predict which drivers in NASCAR's
NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck series will lead the most laps in
each race could be eligible to win a weekly WIX Filters Racing prize
pack, as well as an all-expense-paid racing extravaganza weekend at Las
Vegas Speedway for the 2006 NEXTEL Cup event.

"With nearly 100 percent of NASCAR teams relying on WIX Filters, WIX is
recognized throughout the racing community as an essential performance
partner," said Bruce Johnston, brand manager, WIX Filters. "The WIX
Filters Lap Leader Award Contest is a great opportunity to educate fans
about the optimum performance provided by premium quality WIX Filters by
allowing them to actively participate in our involvement in motorsports.

"In 2005, more than 50 WIX customers and race fans, ranging from parts
distributors to automotive service providers, have won prizes in the WIX
Filters Lap Leader Award Contest."

The WIX Filters Lap Leader Award is presented to the driver who leads
the most laps during each race in NASCAR's NEXTEL Cup, Busch and
Craftsman Truck racing series. The award includes a cash prize presented
to the winning driver during a ceremony before the next race and an
end-of-year payout and trophy for the driver who earns the most WIX
Filters Lap Leader awards over the course of the entire season. Cash
awards for the end-of-year honor are: $75,000 for the NEXTEL Cup Series;
$20,000 for the Busch Series; and, $10,000 for the Craftsman Truck
Series.

Since 1939, WIX Filters has been an innovator in filtration products.
WIX designs, manufactures and distributes products for automotive,
diesel, agricultural, industrial and specialty filter markets. Its
product line includes oil, air, cabin interior, fuel, coolant,
transmission and hydraulic filters for automobiles, trucks and off-road
equipment. WIX, a member of the Affinia family of brands, is the number
one filter in NASCAR and an exclusive NASCAR Performance Product. Its
NASCAR relationship also includes the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award,
which recognizes the drivers leading the most laps in each race. WIX
Filters' Internet address is www.wixfilters.com
<http://www.wixfilters.com/> .